Next month's Ealing Blues Festival will have one of its most adventurous and exciting programmes since its inception in 1987, according to founder and artistic director Robert Hokum. 

He said: "This year we have an unprecedented range of blue-based music from the classic west London R&B of The Manfreds and The Eel Pie All Stars, to the tequila-fuelled goodtime Tex-Mex sound of Los Pacaminos and Britain's most outrageous all-female band, The Vampirettes." 

Headlining the Saturday 22 – Sunday July are The Manfreds. For members Paul Jones and Tom McGuiness, the Blues Festival gig will mark a return to Ealing 60 years after they first appeared at the Ealing Club 1963 as what was then known as the Mann-Hugg Blues Band.

The group took over the Rolling Stones' weekly residency at the Club and appeared frequently until early 1964 by when, as Manfred Mann they'd scored the first of many UK top five hits with 5-4-3-2-1. Not long afterwards they became the first group from the South of England have a number one single in the US with Do Wah Diddy Diddy.

Robert Hokum said: "It's fantastic to have secured such a legendary act, especially as Paul and Tom got started 60 years ago at the Ealing Club. I'm also pleased to be able to showcase some new young talent in the shape of The Hornets – the best west London four-piece band since The Who, and the Powerjam band project.

"The Ealing Blues Festival started as a community event as a bit of fun for a few local bands but it's grown to become one of the best attended blues gigs in the UK combining serious music with sheer entertainment with an ethos to combine up-and-coming acts with established talent and to support the performers of the future. 

"Our community-based roots continue to be reflected in low advance admission ticket prices." 

The Ealing Blues Festival was started in 1987 by Robert Hokum, the blues musician alter-ego of Bob Salmons. With audiences having reached 10,000 people in Ealing's Walpole Park, the Festival has grown to become one of the biggest blues events in Britain. In May 2022 Salmons was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the UK Blues Federation for his work in promoting live music and Ealing's music heritage.

Tickets are available now from https://www.ticketline.co.uk/ealing-summer-festivals

FULL LINE-UP

SATURDAY 22 JULY - MAIN STAGE

2.00-3.00         GEOFF GARBOW BAND

3.30-4.45         THE TERRAPLANE BLUES BAND

5.15-6.30         NEVER THE BRIDE

7.00-8.15         BRUCE 'MISSISSIPPI' JOHNSON

9.00-10.30       THE MANFREDS

SATURDAY 22 JULY - SOUTH STAGE

1.30-3.45         WEST LONDON ROOTS REVUE ft. KEV STENSON'S AMAZING HOTSHOTS / STIFF JOINTS / TIM STAFFELL / MANDOLIN JACK

4.15-5.15         JO CARLEY AND THE OLD DRY SKULLS

5.45-6.15         Powerjam Band Project presents - BLUEZ'D

6.45-7.45         BREAKING BLUES

8.15-9.45         UBAS RECORDS PRESENTS - THE PAUL COOK BLUES ft. KATIE BRADLEY

SUNDAY 23 JULY - MAIN STAGE

2.00-3.15         CONSUMMATE ROGUES

3.45-4.45         THE VAMPIRETTES

5.15-6.30         THE EEL PIE ALL STARS ft. HONEY B. MAMA

7.00-8.15         ROBERT HOKUM AND THE GREAT WEST GROOVE BIG BAND

9.00-10.30       LOS PACAMINOS

SUNDAY 23 JULY - SOUTH STAGE

1.30-2.45         LIQUORICE MOON

3.15-4.30         RAMON GOOSE TRIO

5.00-6.15         TJ 'HOLYBOY JOHNSON

6.45-7.45         THE HORNETS

8.15-9.45         MALONE SIBUN BAND